Biography

Kurt F. Fernsler is a construction attorney with more than twenty five (25) years’ experience in representing general contractors, subcontractors, and owners in all stages of public and private construction projects, including contract drafting and negotiation, bid disputes, claim preparation, and defense and dispute resolution through litigation, arbitration, and mediation. Mr. Fernsler’s practice typically involves mechanics’ lien claims, performance and payment bond matters, delay, acceleration and inefficiency claim and construction defect claims. His litigation experience includes cases in state and federal court in Pennsylvania and West Virginia as well as Pennsylvania’s Board of Claims.

For many of his contractor clients, he also serves as “defacto” general counsel and assists with various types of corporate, employment, labor and real estate matters as well.

Prior to joining Burns White, Mr. Fernsler was a shareholder in a mid-size Pittsburgh-based law firm and prior to that was an associate in the construction law group of an international firm headquartered in Pittsburgh.

Mr. Fernsler is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, the United States District Court for the Western and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. He is a member of the Allegheny County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. He received his J.D. from Duquesne University and graduated from the Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Finance.

Mr. Fernsler has remained active in various construction-related trade groups, and currently serves as an officer of the Pennsylvania Builders Exchange.